Interview: Hollyoaks star returns to Pompey for panto

Joining me in one of the royal boxes at Southsea’s The Kings Theatre, Marcus Patrick mused “if I’d have just stuck in my comfort zone I wouldn’t be anywhere near what I’m doing now” and listening to the tales of his career it’s clear that this sentiment rings true.

The Portsmouth born actor reminisced about his childhood growing up in Gosport, spending his days “riding round on my bike, always up the park and playing football” and how the idea of him standing on stage in tights performing as Dandini in Cinderella, Portsmouth’s Christmas pantomime, was the last thing on the mind of his footy-mad former self.

Marcus claims that “a lot of people stick to what they know and what they do and sometimes it takes someone to push you in a different direction” and that it was Mrs Cam, his teacher at St. Mary’s school in Gosport, that encouraged him to take the plunge and that he has been challenging himself for the sake of his career ever since.

Best known for his 6 year stint as Ben Davies in Hollyoaks, Marcus still maintains that his most memorable moment was his first day on set which he describes as “a baptism of fire”; ever pushing for a combination of excitement and nudity the soap’s producers had Patrick “on top of a double-decker bus at 2am in Chester city centre on a Friday night just after the clubs have kicked out, naked.”

As well as being one of his first acting experiences this also seems prophetic of the rest of his career, in which nudity has heavily featured. Patrick’s newest venture is Wildboyz, a stage show in which a group of lads on holiday are forced to replace a stripper troupe, which begins its tour next year.

The actor also discussed the nostalgic memories that are stirred whenever he comes back this way which is perhaps why he was so drawn to perform in this years’ Christmas panto despite the fact that it’s a different environment to what he’s known for; when asked about this choice Marcus declared that “it’s always good when you’re growing as a human being to do and try new things because you never know where it’ll take you” and that it will be “refreshing that I can actually keep my clothes on.”

You can see Marcus Patrick in Cinderella from 7th December to 1st January at The Kings Theatre, Southsea.